After the vote, Azoulay said, "if my nomination is confirmed, my first action would be to restore the agency's credibility and the confidence of member states in its ability to confront the challenges that only UNESCO can face."

Several Arab countries, led by Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, have removed two resolutions critical of Israeli policies in eastern Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip from the agenda of an upcoming UNESCO executive board session in Paris this week.